Use OnlySwitch to Customize All Your Mac Settings Faster | Lifehacker


Apple hides means too many issues deep within the Mac settings app. There’s no fast option to do issues like toggle darkish mode, conceal the menu bar, or present hidden recordsdata—you might want to dig round within the settings each time.

You would possibly wish to change such settings commonly, although. I, for instance, are likely to solely use darkish mode on cloudy days, and as such would quite toggle it myself. You would possibly wish to conceal the menu bar and dock when you might want to focus after which allow them once more once you wish to socialize. Apple does not make this type of on-the-fly customization simple, however there is a resolution.

OnlySwitch is a free (donations appreciated) and open supply utility that makes it fast to vary these and different choices, whereas additionally permitting you to do issues like hiding undesirable menu bar icons and preserve your Mac from going to sleep. Open OnlySwitch for the primary time and you may see a brand new icon that is annoyingly near the Control Center (don’t fret, you possibly can change it within the settings). Click this icon and you may see all kinds of fast toggles, which you’ll be able to shortly activate and off.

Customize the switches

A screenshot of the Customize section of OnlySwitch, where you can decide which toggles you want to include


Credit: Justin Pot

Click the gear within the bottom-right nook to open the settings. In the Customize tab you possibly can conceal any choices you do not wish to see and activate a number of which might be off by default. These embody emptying the trash, muting your microphone, and switching to low energy mode.

There are built-in replacements for a number of frequent apps, like a Pomodoro Timer or a fast sticky observe. There’s additionally a button you need to use to shortly toggle your Mac’s built-in white noise function. You may even add your individual buttons utilizing Apple Shortcuts: Just head to the Shortcuts tab and you may see your entire shortcuts there. All of this implies you possibly can create or discover a button to do absolutely anything in your Mac.

Hide menu bar icons

A screenshot of the icon hiding section of the OnlySwitch settings


Credit: Justin Pot

In macOS you possibly can drag any menu bar icon to any place you want by holding Control. OnlySwitch provides a particular icon you need to use to cover any menu bar icons you’d quite not see. Simply drag this particular icon to the correct of all icons you want to conceal, then right-click it. All of the icons you do not wish to see are actually hidden. Yes, there are devoted apps for this together with Vanilla and Bartender, however OnlySwitch gives this function without spending a dime whereas additionally providing you with a fast option to toggle all kinds of different choices.